Tent Stake Puller Continued

 I don't feel like doing a lot of thinking so mostly pics today. Last time I showed you a pic of a tractor and a log splitter. Today we'll focus on turning the log splitter into a stake puller and attaching it to the tractor. The forked piece below the ram is the part that lifts a tent stake. I welded it to a plate that slides along the I-beam as the ram moves in and out.

Cutting that 1" thick fork from a plate was a lot easier today with a better tip in the torch. I'm still mad at the plasma cutter from the last time I tried to use it so it took a time-out in the corner.

 To attach the fork to the ram I wanted to use a plate on each side and just slide a pin through the ram. Sometimes its the simplest things that take the most effort. First I needed the two plates. They were easily cut to size in the band saw. Hint, hint. A lot of the pieces and shapes of this project look the way they do because of the size of the raw materials I'm working with and lack of desire to make any extra cuts. Besides, bigger is better, Right?

I don't have a way to drill a clean 1 1/8" hole so I had to get creative with what I could find lying around the shop.

 This bushing and pin will do the trick but I need two bushings so...

...into the lathe it goes to create two bushings. Next I cut a crude hole in each plate and welded my new bushings in.

 So here we are before the side plates...

...and after. Now the fork that lifts the stakes is attached to the ram. The bottom plate is shaped in a wedge so when they back the tractor to the stake it will be guided into place. 

 This unit needs to attach to a quick-attach three point system so I needed to make some mounts. That meant I got to use my favorite tool in the shop, the magnetic base drill with a 1" cutter. This piece will be one of the side plates for the pin in the top link.

 And here it is welded to the beam.

 I guess I didn't take any other pics except this one from the end of the day. You can see the lower cross beam as well. 

 So thats where the unit sits for now. Hopefully the hydraulic parts arrive soon so we can demo the beast.

Later.